"To SUV or Not SUV"

Hi J.,

We were in the same position about a year ago, but we did not want to end up with an SUV so we went looking for a 5-door alternative. We researched and test drove the Pontiac Vibe, the Toyota Matrix, and the Nissan Versa - our must-haves were 1. lots of backseat room for carseats 2. room for our 65-lb. dog in the trunk area and 3. good gas mileage. The Versa was our winner, and we know now that we made the right decision for us. There is tons of backseat room (even for adults to sit) and the trunk area is the biggest of the 3 cars we looked at - it fits our stollers (and the dog) with no problem. I don't know if it will work for you, but since you are looking for some similar things in a car I thought I'd post my 2 cents!

In the alternative, if you like Hyundai they were supposed to be coming out with an Elantra touring sedan that looked really nice, too.

Happy hunting!

C.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi J.,
I am in the same spot you are in, however I already have a soon to be four year old and #2 is due in January. We currently have a Pontiac Vibe and love it for the gas milage. However, it's not going to work with two car seats in the back. Right now my DD sits in the middle of the back seat and her knees practicly stick through the two front seats. So...if we tried to move her over to one side she wouldn't be too comfortable with her knees rubbing the back of the front seat. My husband and I are of average height (5' 5" & 5' 7") so it's not like we're supper tall and have the front seats in the farthest back position. I'll be interested to see what others have to say as well. Good Luck!
D.

I know very little about new cars, but i do know a thing or two about multiple car seats and stollers or wagons and coolers ect. and the trouble they can be in a small car.

things to think about
-seat placement, if there is a 3rd row in some vehicles it means climbing or reaching over a second row seat, look for something that the seat easily moves out of the way
-actual trunk space with all seats in place, I know for a fact I can't fit a cooler and luggage behind the third row in my mercury mountaineer.
-leg room, sooner or later the kids will grow, and you might not be able to buy a new vehicle then
- extra seats, you don't really want a 5 seater if you are planning two more kids, unless you really plan on no one ever riding in your vehicle with you

good luck and happy shopping

You need a mini van, suv's are a pain to get in and out of and really have little cargo space!
If you really want a smaller vehicle look at the Mazda 5 and get roof equipment for your cargo when traveling (you will have room inside in the back untill you have #3
I still think you would be better in minivan, maybe stick with your car untill baby#2 is on the way and they might have some more efficient , or hybrid minivans on the market ( I am hanging on to mine at 175k hoping for a hybrid to pop up by 200k:)

You have received many great responses already, but I thought I would throw another option into mix. I would recommend if your not sold on a mini-van option going with one of the newer crossovers like the Chevy Traverse! They have a third row, which is actually quite roomy and still have room to put the dog in the back cargo space. Some of them come w/ a bench style second row or a bucket seats second row. We went with the bucket seat option as we only have two of our own.... but when we have others joining us we can easily access the third row w/out having to move a carseat/ booster out. A little background..... We have two children who are four & two, a boxer, a double stoller (sometimes a wagon instead) and always extra things to haul. My parent live an hour away... my husbands live six hours away. We do all the traveling to visit the families. I also have a very dear friend who has a four yr old... and is home w/out transportation atleast five days a week... so I'm always picking them up to go do things. We traded our ford explorer in for the traverse and are extremely happy with the decision!
Good luck with your car shopping!

Well when we were going to have our second, we had a vibe and a silverado. we decided to put the carseats in to see how they would work. the vibe the only place a rear facing car seat would fit was in the middle or you had to have one of the seats pulled up all the way. same thing in the silverado. My husaband is a big car person and loves to reasearch cars so in our search this is what we found. Neigher one of us wanted a mini van. the Torrent was really nice but alittle out of our price range at the time. Two carseats worked well and still plent of room. the milage was ok. we also really liked the Honda CRV but we couldn't find a good used one in our area. We ended up with a Buick Ranier and it works really well. Recently my husband has been helping his mother find a car and he said the Equinox is a really good one know. We do alot of traveling as well and he said the Equinox now gets 32mpg on the high way. and the car would offer enough room for all out stuff for the two kids. and the car is decently priced.

good luck in your search

Just a thought J.. My husband and I looked at SUV's when we started our family a few years ago (we are now expecting #3...and we also have a dog). We looked at SUV's and mini vans and could not believe how much more USABLE space was in a mini van, plus a lot of them get better gas millage than an SUV. So, if you can get past the "mini van stigma" that some people have, you may want to broaden your search to include some mini vans. They accommodate multiple car seats better than most SUV's and will give you more space for other stuff like a dog kennel, bags, strollers, and a lot more. Hope this helps. R. B.

I currently have a Pontiac Torrent and I love it! It gets pretty good gas mileage for an SUV ( 21 gal per tank)and drives very much like a car. It is so easy to lift the baby carrier in and out and our 3 year old can climb into her seat on her own. We also have plenty of space in the back to haul the stroller and such. Unfortunately, with our third on the way, there is no way to fit 3 carseats across. So, if you're planning on having 3 or more kids, this probably isn't the one you want to get. We are looking for a bigger car ourselves before the baby arrives. Right now, we THINK we want to get a Chevy Traverse, but haven't had the chance to physically check one out to see if it will easily hold the 3 seats and still have storage in the back. I hope this helps you out! Good luck!

We love the Freestyle/Taurus X (they changed the name and I don't know if you're looking for new or used). You can get 2 bucket seats in the middle so it seats 6 and it's easy to get in and out of the 3rd row between the two middle seats. It rides/drives like a car but has the space of an SUV and is higher than a car if you like that. We tend to get 23-25mpg on the road and around 20 in town.

I was very much against getting mini vans. I don't like the way they handle, etc. Having said that, I do own a Hyndai Santa Fe. It is a smaller SUV, so I like the way it drives much better than a larger SUV or van. But, I did not have it when my girls were in carseats, so I can't honestly say anything on that. But, the gas mileage is good and it's been easy to maintain. Since it is smaller, you may have less space depending on kids and cargo, but it's easier to get in and out of than some of the larger ones.

Hope this helps and congrats on your little one!!!

To the Honda Odyssey Minivan..........best investment you will ever make. Is is sporty....certainly not as sporty as my old BMW 328ci.......which held two children as I did sales for over 4 years lugging them back and forth to daycare. I then retired thanks to my husbands traveling and hours. Make a sacrifice. Lots of room.......for up to 6 children and 2 adults. For me 3 chilren, daddy and grandma for vacations strollers, coolers, toys, carseats, blankets, luggage............What is the biggest seller for me on this vehicle that you will not find on any other car you are looking at.........SLIDING MIDDLE DOORS.....you don't think of it now but fast forward 3-5 years.....and suddenly the children are running ahead of you and you have a baby in one arm and a grocery bag in the ther....OH...and your keys are right there in your hand to open the van doors as your children have beat you there and they are now safely already in the car...which had doors that opened automatically....then you catch up the next 50 to 100 feet. Oh and did I mention the endless hours they will spend in this vehicle....watching movies..........enough said. It is all personal preference........but they will have friends.....they will have playdates.....and bikes......your a mom now....get over the to SUV or not to SUV....be practical, fun and realistic....and enjoy what you now are....MOM...if you decide....keep in mind my husband said....I WILL NEVER DRIVE A MINIVAN.......he loves it....For me...ha ha....and loves it for vacations and trips.....think about it......great reliable vehicle....go to carmax or the Honda dealership...spend the extra money and it will last you for years....my brother is on year 9 of his van....it holds up well...good luck

I have a Honda Pilot and love it! We have a 3 year old and a 4 month old.we've had it for about 6 months. It has 3rd row seating that folds down so if you aren't using the third row you have more room in the back. We travel a lot also and it fits all the baby equipment,luggage,double stroller,etc! I would definately look at a SUV or minivan! Good luck in your search!!!

I have had SUV and minivan and I would not go back to the SUV with kids at home. We had a jeep and it was such a pain with 2 car seats. The only thing that ever worked was the van. I drive a Honda Odyssey and I have owned a Pontiac and Ford. I love the Odyssey. Even now with my kids 11,14 and 16. I am always picking up friends and can seat up to 8. My in-laws are always asking us to drive them on vacations with it.

We were in your shoes a few months ago...We discovered that neither of our vehicles would hold 3 car seats. We ended up trading in for a Chrysler Town and Country mini-van...we have a four year old, a 22 month old and a newborn and the Ford Escape couldn't fit three car seats, nor could our Sable. Now that we have the minivan, I'm not sure how we traveled with two kids before (we make monthly trips to Cleveland and Toledo).

We had an SUV (Chevy Equinox) and our 3 seats didnt fit very well in the car. When all the doors were shut the seats were carving into the cars doors. We upgraded to a minivan and love it. I would say if your planning on having more children and dont want to buy a new car with every child, try to stick it out with this car for a while. I understand your frustration before the SUV we had a 2 door Escort with 2 children and traveling back and forth.
I dont know if this was much help but it was my experience.
SZ

my kids have a six yr and a 3 year old. When they were having the 3 year old they bought a Vulvo wagon and it is perfect as they also have a 100 pound Lab that sits in the rear, the two car seats are in the second seat and then there are driver and passenger bucket seats. They get along great and can go anywhere the want. Daddy also has an SUV so that works when they do not take Lily the Lab.

Hi J.,

I think what I may say, others have already said. We have two boys (6 months and 2 years). I was absolutely dead-set against getting a mini-van. Before our first was born, we already had the Ford Explorer. It worked fine for one, but once the second came along, that all changed. We took a trip to Florida this summer in it and things were VERY tight. We also had the top carrier and back carrier to pack our things (and it was still tight).
The warrenty was coming up on the Explorer, so we started researching our next vehicle. After considering many factors, we ended up trading our Explorer for a Toyota Sienna. My "car-guy" husband had to talk me into it. But...you know what? We just took our first long trip in it this past weekend, and it was SO MUCH BETTER than the Explorer. Everything fit behind the third row, and we didn't need any of the carriers. Also, there is so much more room for everyone to sit and there's still extra space. Additionally, there is so much more storage capacity. With all the stuff you need to transport, it sounds like this would be great. We like the Toyota Sienna because it was rated high for reliablility and the third row can fold flat into the floor if necessary. It also drives better than our Explorer (quieter). Further more, we got 17 mpg with our Explorer and 23 mpg with the Sienna on long trips. We look forward to many years with it.
Good luck with your decision and happy car shopping! Congratulations on your new son :)

C.

For two car seats a station wagon is great. For more than two you might just need to go for a mini van. Once you have two seats in, the middle is pretty much useless. I have crammed a third booster in, but I don't think it would pass any car seat check. I have tried this in my wagon and two different SUVs. A wagon is great as the trunk is totally flat. Great for changing diapers in. Third row SUVs are great if they aren't your three kids. Once that third row is in I think your trunk is pretty much gone.

I vote that you get a SUV, they are much more convenient with a child :) I also suggest you buy a Vibe or look at the new Chevy Equinox, they are super cute & very affordable! Good luck!

I have a Scion xB and it has been great. Have had it about a year. Two car seats would fit easily, not sure about 3, but if one is a booster it could work. I downsized from a full blown SUV when mine started needed lots of repairs and the xB has lots os room for the kids, good trunk space and gets good mileage - its also fun:-)

Don't fight it... get a mini van. I went from a VW New Beetle to a Subaru Forester to a Dodge Grand Caravan in 4 years. I liked my Forester but there was not much room for lots of stuff and it was impossible to have another person in the back seat with the 2 carseats. Do yourself a favor and just get the minivan. I love ours. Lots of flexiblity for lots of stuff... and people too!

We got a Ford Escape when our son was born and we love it. It can fit 2 large convertible car seats with plenty of room between, but I've never tried to fit 3. Plus it's got plenty of leg room in the front & back row, and a ton of storage. We have no problem fitting our stroller, play yard, high chair, luggage, etc. when we visit family. Good luck!

LOL! We have twins and drive a Hyundai Elantra. The reason we do that is because of the gas. If you can find something larger that gets as good of miliage, then go for it!

My parents live 2hours away and I have a son so I understand..I was driving a cavalier..tight space. I just bought a Kia Sportage...I love it. It gets awesome gas mileage 260 miles for 32 bucks not bad. The only problem I have is the seat head rest sits weird...as well as the trunk isnt that spacious. For the price and the gas...it is definatley a steal. Plus they are super cute.

T.

If you plan to have more than 1 more kid before you buy your next car (after this new one), then you really should consider a mini van. Let me give you my take, as I was hell-bent on having a big SUV when we were planning for our third child.

To seat more than 2 kids comfortably, with or without carseats, in an SUV...you will likely want one with 3rd row seating. Have you ever actually been in one of these? I really wanted one with 3rd row seating until I actually rode in one. In order to get to the 3rd row (in 99% of the one's I rode in), you had to fold down and flip up the middle row seat. Not such an easy task if you have a car seat strapped to that seat. I also did not want my older kids climbing over the seat backs, which seemed to be the only other option for them to get into the back. I also noticed that the cargo space was not much bigger than the trunk of my Ford Focus. Barely big enough to hold a full sized stroller, let a lone fit anything else in with it.

I reluctantly gave in when my husband brought a Dodge Grand Caravan for me to test drive. Let me tell you, it only took one time for me to realize that this was what I was looking for all along. Plenty of space in the front seat for mom and dad to not feel like we were sitting on top of each other. Two captains chairs in the middle row, with space between them to walk through. A full bench seat (fully capable of holding 3 adults/kid/carseats) in the back row. My cargo space is big enough that my double stroller can stand up (folded up obviously) on one side of the "trunk" and we can pile pretty much anything we can think of into the other part. I have grocery hooks so that my cans or whatever I have in grocery bags don't fall all over the place. My seats are movable and removable as well. For one trip we took (a 6 hour drive), we took out the captain's chairs and moved the bench seat to the middle row. We sat the 7 y/o and 4 y/o on either side, and the infant carrier in the middle. Never one complaint from any kid about space. Then we had the entire back half of the van to take our luggage and stuff in.

We are now awaiting the arrival of baby #4 and have no worries about seating arrangements in the van. The two older ones (8 & 5) sit in the back row on either side (with plenty of room between them so there is no fighting, lol), the 15 month old sits on the drivers side in the captain's chair, and new baby will sit on the other side.

I have decided I will likely not own another vehicle that is not a Grand Caravan. That is how happy I am with it. Oh, I almost forgot the gas mileage...I get about 25 mpg consistantly. I only pay about 50-65 (depending on the price per gallon) per week in gas, and I drive probably about 15,000 miles per year.

We lease our cars and this is our 3rd Honda Odyssey. We have been extremely pleased with all of them. THe gas mileage is decent (about 25-27 mpg, I think). Our kids are college age now so instead of car seats, we are moving them to and from school every year with all their stuff - and believe me, there's lots of it. We still have one child left at home - a 16 year old - and we continually need the space for her and her friends.

I had a Mazda CX7 and loved it! I travel a lot as well and it drove just like a car but had lots of storage room in the back, maybe too much sometimes...The gas mileage was pretty good, lower to mid 20's, but I don't remember exactly how much. They hold up very well and the trade-in value on them stays fairly high compared to others of similar size. I know it would not hold 3 car seats, but the CX9 has a third row and would do so.

We bought an EnvoyXL (7 passenger) SUV soon after our 1st was born. We knew we wanted at least 1 more child. It's the perfect vehicle for us. We now have 3 children - 2 in booster seats and 1 in a forward-facing carseat. I can put the kids in the car and still have room to carpool 2 other children with us -- which is Very Much Appreciated when it comes to stuff like preschool, playdates, cub scout camp, birthday parties, ice hockey practice, etc. Since I'm able to drive other children it means that I get a break in the driving, too, when my children go with other moms.

It's easy to get kids in/out of the EnvoyXL. Heck - even my 25 month old can climb in/out of the SUV and her carseat by herself! I don't know why people complain about that. To get to the back row, you do have to fold down one of the middle seats. Not a big deal - just don't strap in a carseat there. If it's a booster seat, it takes all of a half-second to shove it to the center or the floor or the ground outside the vehicle to flip the seat down so the kid can climb up and into the backseat. We currently have the carseat with the 2 year old in the 3rd row behind on the passenger side, 1 booster seat in the 3rd row behind driver and the other booster seat in 2nd row behind the driver.

We also have a ski boat, and knew we wanted one when we bought the SUV. So we wanted something powerful enough to pull the boat. Since it seats 7 people, we can take friends iwth us to the lake when we take our boat.

We have 2 dogs (1 mid-size, 1 large) and there's plenty of room for them, myself, my husband, our 3 children and all our stuff.

We recently bought a new car (sedan) for my husband. We looked at dozens of models/styles before settling on the Pontiac G6. It was one of only a few that actually fit all 3 carseats/boosters in the backseat! Most vehicles that do not have the 3rd row seat will NOT fit more than 2 carseats/boosters. The Vibe was close but we had to cross it off our list when we realized that none of the ones we looked at had a shoulder strap seatbelt in the center of the backseat! That is >essential< if you have children because they need the should strap to use a booster seat!

I havea mazda 5 and love it! It is called a mini mini van. It seats 6 and still has all the storage space for kid equipment! Plus they are very reasonably priced!

I must say, I have to agree with the others. Buy a minivan. I had a third row SUV and it was worthless. If the third row was up the truck was gone. When we went to buy a new car, we decided on the Honda. Don't get me wrong, I hated the idea, but now I LOVE my van! I only have two children currently, but the features are undeniable. Trust me, you wouldn't regret it.